Mike and MonaRé Shields

>The country of Chile suffered a great blow on February 28 when a massive 8.8 earthquake and tsunami devastated large sections of that South American nation. We based our ministry for 10 years in Chile and have many precious friends and ministry partners there. The incredible destruction demanded immediate action.

I have an older brother, Les. He called the day of the quake and said something had to be done immediately to help. On the heels of the great Haiti disaster, I wasn’t sure if we should go back to our partners and friends and ask again. But Les was unwavering in his call: “You have to do it!” He immediately sent a check for $250 and words of encouragement to help Chile.

We once again took the appeal to Facebook and sent out an emergency mass e-mail appeal. The results were terrific. In the past two months we have sent more than USD $10,000 to Chile to assist in a wide variety of relief efforts, repairs, and support for pastors and persons dramatically affected by the quake.

We can only say thanks to those of you who made such an overwhelming response to our appeal to help the precious people of Chile. Many of our churches and their families suffered terrible damages, personal property losses, job losses, and great trauma. Becasue of your help, we have done what we could at the time of the greatest need. It’s an amazing partnership, and we’re grateful.

Nicaragua Educators Summit

MonaRe was a featured workshop speaker for this international conference for Christian Educators. Hundreds of Bible School teachers and administrators, National and District Officials and missionary colleagues attended her sessions. We both offered a session on Transgenerational Ministry that coincided with the Conference Theme.

A highlight of the conference was the appearance of MonaRe’s dad, Dr. M. David Grams. His plenary session to the more than 325 delegates at the conference dealt with the beginnings of Christian education and preparation of leaders in the early years of AG Missions in South America.

Dr. Grams was joined by Mona and her younger brother, Rocky, the President of the Rio Platte Bible Institute in Buenos Aires, Argentina. What an incredible session that graphically emphasied the importance of passing on the torch to the next generation for continuity and growth in the Kingdom of God!

Thanks to so many people who helped with emergency funds for earthquake relief in Haiti. We put out an urgent request in January after giving $5,000 immediately from our missionary work funds to start up relief efforts in Haiti. Because of the help received, we were able to fund our commitment plus invest an additional $1,000 for ongoing relief work in Port-au-Prince.

In the second week of February my brother, Ric Shields, is leading a medical team of 4 doctors and 8 workers to Port-au-Prince. They are replacing a previous medical team that was involved in treating many lacerations, infections, some amputations and other health issues related to quake injuries. Thanks for your prayers on their behalf as they work in very difficult circumstances.

This month we’re teaching in the Institute of Advanced Leadership Enrichment going on this entire month in Bogota, Colombia. MonaRé is teaching Didactics (teaching methods in the classroom) while Mike is teaching Principles of Administration and Leadership Studies. There are 52 terrific students from three countries for four intensive weeks of post-grad studies.

On Sunday, February 7, Mike spoke in Great Comission Church for all five services. Beginning at 6:30 AM, the schedule went all day until 8 p.m. Over 3,000 attended the services, and hundreds came to the altar during the day for prayer. There are many churches in the Bogota area that have thousands of people. There is a great growth of the Church. Believe God with us that this generation of Colombian Believers will have a broad and positive impact on their country.

An Urgent Appeal for Haiti

An urgent appeal has been made by Richard Nicholson, AG World Missions Regional Director for Latin America.  The devestation in Port-Au-Prince is an historic humanitarian crisis.

We felt the Lord speak to us here in Mexico City to just open up the gate and send $5,000 from our missionary account.  We are calling on our friends and partners to help us fund this bold step of faith.  The need is so great we felt compelled to act. 

Your gifts will be administrated by the international emergency relief group Convoy of Hope.  We have the highest respect for their integrity and experience in dealing with natural disasters.  Please consider giving an on-line gift to stand with us as sponsor partners to make a direct impact in the lives of people who are suffering so deeply in Haiti.

Thanks for your concern and determined actions at this time of urgent need and great opportunity to show the love of Christ to thousands. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR
FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS!

We’re excited to announce we have a new member of the family this year: Lincoln Northup.  Born on October 13, 2009 he is a healthy, contented little guy who has brought all of us alot of joy.

This year Mom Shields was supposed to meet us in Miami as we came back to the U.S. to spend Christmas.  But Mom has had a series of TIA strokes that radically changed all the plans.  We’ve placed her in full time nursing home care, and will be going to be with her this year.

We’re grateful for Ric and Sheila Shields, Mike’s younger brother, for their love and care for Mom.  Ric is the Executive Pastor at Carbondale Assembly in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  He is also the Executive Director of  Open Doors, Inc. which is an international missions agency.  Despite his many responsibilities, Ric along with his wife Sheila have been a great blessing and help to our mom as she has faced physical struggles and life changes.

We’re grateful to the Lord for our family, for bright days ahead, for life and health and strength.  As all of us celebrate Christmas this year we can understand the enthusiasm of the angels the night of Christ’s birth…

JOY TO THE WORLD, THE LORD IS COME!

We spent the first 10 days of this November ministry trip in Argentina.  After spending several days at the Rio Platte Bible Institute and then speaking in the bustling, booming Avance Church in Buenos Aires, we flew two hours south into the deep Argentine zone of the Patagonia.

What an opportunity to participate in the Patagonian Bible Institute’s Spiritual Emphasis week.  Our hosts, Martin & Charlotte Jacobson and Eddie & Diana Echavarria, have done an amazing job developing a beautifully built ministry training school in the heart of the Welsh territory!  This historically rich area is characterized by its isolation and distance from major cities.  Yet God is calling scores of young people to prepare for ministry in the last frontier of the western hemisphere.

All week long MonaRe and I taught four hours of classes each morning, spoke for the morning chapels, and then spoke in the evening Spiritual Emphasis services.  Each day, in so many of the sessions, there was a powerful touch of God on the students.  It was obvious to us the school leadership of the Jacobson/Echavarria team has done an outstanding job of training and teaching those young men and women on how to respond to the voice of the Holy Spirit.

CHILE - ADVANCED MINISTERIAL ENRICHMENT SEMINAR AND LOCAL MINISTRIES

We have spent the remainder of the month of November in Chile.  MonaRe is part of the team of professors for ISUM (Instituto de Superacion Ministerial) or the Advanced Ministerial Enrichment Seminars.  I have been on an intensive trek of speaking in churches in the south of the country (from Santiago 7 1/2 hours south to Concepcion and back).   We have ministered to hundreds of people many places.

This year we’ll spend Thanksgiving with our ministry colleagues in Chile.  Although we’re 6,000 miles from our Minnesota base of family and friends we are encouraged by the steady stream of encouraging words of so many who keep in touch through Facebook and e-mail.  We are overwhelmed by God’s goodness and give thanks with all of you for blessings that cannot be adequately enumerated.

WE ARE THANKFUL TO GOD, AND THANKFUL FOR ALL OF YOU!

It was a wild dash across America participating in four Missions Conventions and various other meetings and services to promote ministries in Latin America.

Here’s the FLASH REVIEW:

We traveled 10,000 miles (by air and car) in four states, to 6 churches, going through 7 cities, participating in a dozen services and meetings.  It was so meaningful in each place as we reconnected with many long time friends and all the pastors and staff.

Thanks to everyone for making October 2009 a Missions Emphasis success.

A heroes welcome to our new grandson, Lincoln Timothy Andrew Northup!

We are able to be in the U.S. during Missions Convention Month and be with our daughter Kristi and husband Wayns or birth of a healthy grandson.  Thanks to everyone who prayed for Kristi and Wayne during what was an arduous pregnancy.  Today little Lincoln is at home, healthy and has a very excited three-yearold  sister!

We were in Cuba another three weeks in September!  This was the unprecedented third time we were granted a Religous Visa to enter the country this year.  We arrived in Havana after a very short flight from Miami and began ministering in our newest and largest church in the capital city.

The church was jammed with people.  The temperature on the platform was around 100 degrees farenheit. (Sure beats January in Minnesota!)  We are privileged to be a part of what God is doing on the island.  The enthusiasm, excitement, and the intensity of our churches in Cuba are testimony to the power of Christ in the lives of everyday people.

On Monday, September 7 we headed out for Ciego de Avila, a seven hour trip to the middle of the island.  This centrist city is strategically located and more easily accessed than far western Havana.  We arrived to conduct a post-grad Advanced Ministerial Enrichment Seminar for two weeks.  Forty-two pastors and wives (eight couples!) came for the intensive post-grad classes.  It was a highly productive and imminently important time of teaching, mentoring, and inspiring leaders in some of the most dificult circumstances in Latin America.

While in Ciego de Avila I spoke serveral times at the Jubilee Christian Center, a great church filled with hundreds of believers in multiple services.  Despite soaring temperatures and crowded conditions, this church is a powerhouse of outreach in the community.  The pastor and his wife, both medical doctors,  left their practices to dedicate themselves full time to this thriving, growing ministry that is transforming the lives of so many people.

In January, in June and then in September we visited many churches, spoke to several thousand people in four cities.  Every where we go, in every place we are asked to speak, there is a wave of enthusiasm, a triumphant spirit in the face of indescribable challenge.  Despite great obstacles, THE CUBAN CHURCH IS ALIVE AND WELL!

Thanks for your prayers and support that makes it possible for us to be a part of the groundswell of Revival in Cuba.

A three week adventure in Panama culminated in the graduation of 10 students from the Advanced Ministerial Enrichment Program.  MonaRe directed the two week seminar and also taught classes. 

What a meaningful opportunity to connect once again with many long time friends.  Right after MonaRe graduated from North Central University she went to Panama City to teach as the first full time woman missionary professor at the National Bible School.  The present national superintendent of the work was one of her students.  Many others went on to become pastors of important churches, presbyters and leaders of departmental ministries.  

We celebrated out wedding anniversary on September 2.  We spent two days just off the coast of Panama on the little island of Taboga.  We went there just at the beginning of our budding romance as young people still in college.  God has been so good to us over these beautiful years together.

We spent nearly three weeks in July in Buenos Aires, Argentina.  MonaRe was teaching in the post-grad LAAST Seminar with 42 students from 6 countries.  What a challenge to train these people who represent thousands in their churches and ministries.

Each seminar requires two weeks of class room instruction and intensive interaction with students in after class meetings.  It is one of the most productive and formative efforts for leaders.  Mike spoke for the seminar convocation, Bible School Chapel, and in a line up of churches.

A highlight was to see the progress of AVANCE CHRISTIANO. We’ve helped this exciting church since the inception of the building program. When we bought this building in 2004, it was just some columns, no roof,  and unfinished.  It seemed like an impossible dream.

Today  this church has grown to nearly a thousand in weekly attendance.

We prayed with hundreds of people who came to the altar area at the conclusion of the service when Mike spoke.  What an incredible return on investment for a missions project!  A special thanks to Pastor Jerry Brooks at Oak Creek Assembly in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for making a major investment in this sister congregation.

A Major Step of Faith

Rocky Grams, MonaRe’s brother, is the President of the largest resident Bible School in South America.  Hundreds of students are coming from all over Latin America to study.  With as many as 12 to a room in the dorms, there is an urgent need to finish this new facility.  We’re believing God to help raise the necessary funds to see see this miracle building come up.

Please pray that many friends will make bold steps of faith to financially support this project in Argentina.  It is the greatest place in Latin America to prepare young men and women to serve in the harvest fields of revival!